Brake-operating device for motor vehicles



March 3, 1931. L. ROUANET BRAKE OPERATING DEVICE FOR MOTOR VEHICLESOriginal Filed March 1925 f Pouam INVCNT" 'L Patented Mar. 3, 1931entire-n STATES! IPPJFEIQ'F.1 OFFICE LOUIS onnnnr, on rvR -rom, FRANCE,AssreNonro- COMPAQ-NIB D'AnrmcAmIoNs rancnmenns, or ivnY-ron'r, SEINE,rim-Non, A- FRENGH' GQMRAKY BRAKE-OPERATING DEVICE For. MOTOR VEHICLESOriginal application filed March 9, 1925, Seria1.No. 14,255, andinFrance March 21-, 1924. Divided and this application filed- De'cember14, 1927. Serial No. 240,016.

The present invention relates to a brake operating device,- which isapplicable to all known brake systems for steering and driving axles,and which effects automatically an 51 equaldistribution of the brakingapplied to each of the steeringand driving wheels during the running inastraight line of the vehicle, as well as a differential division ofthis tcrce when the vel'iicletraverses a curve.

The said device, in which the initial action producing thebrakingmovement acts, under the control of the st-cering'mechanis'm ofthe vehicle, on a special arrangement by which it is suitablydistributed on the wheels, is characterized intthat it comprises-incombination: a primary member receiving the brake pull from a pedal", alever, an-auxiliary motor, etc, two secondary members transmitting thebrake pull to the wheels or to groups of wheels; and an intermediatemember which, under certain" conditions, divides the brake pull receivedfrom the primary member between the secondary members.

The invention is further characterized by the combination, in amotorvehicle ofthe distributing system above referred to with brake operatingmechanisms associated with the wheels, and adjusting or controllingdevices mounted on each of the brakes and acting on 30 the brake shoesagainst-the action of the operating cams so as to permit the take up ofwear at the point where it is'produced, so that the most favourablepositions of the constituent members of the distributing system may beautomatically maintained without modifyin the original positions of theoperating pedal, or equivalent, and of the interposed members.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No.14,255, filed March 9,1925, which application has become Patent No. 1,750,904 on March 18, 1930.

The invention will be better understood with reference to theaccompanying drawings, annexed as examples, and in which:

' Fig. 1 is a perspective diagrammatic view showing arrangement inaccordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a me- J chanioalarrangementaccording to Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is acorrcsponding planview with parts'broken away Fig. 4 isaperspective diagrammatic View of a distributing system arranged on theun derframe of a motor vehicle and combined with devices for takinguptheplayand op'erated' from the exterior.

In the drawings,- a designates the member which is acted upon to operatethe brakes. b designates the primarymcmber which is actuated by themember a through the intermediary of any suitable member 0- as shown. (Zdesignates the intermediate distributing member, acting as a beam on thesecondary 7' (Fig. 4) designates-the steering device of the vehicle andg the steering'lever which effects simultaneously: the steeringmovements of the wheels through the intermediary of a steering member h,and, through the intermediary of a rod 2'', a modification of thedivision of the braking force, by actin on the intermediate distributingmember In Fig. 1, the intermediate distributing member cl is connectedby means of knuckles 6 and 6 with the secondary members 6,pivotallymounted about the shafts 7-7, The primary member Z; oscillatesabout an axis 8 situated at right angles to the pivoting axis 9 of themember a transmitting the angular movements of the pedal a.

The oscillatory movements of the member .7) about its axis 8' is causedby the movements of the steering rod 2" under the control of thesteering mechanism (not shown).

The operation of this arrangement is as. follows:

The braking force applied at a is communi cated to the intermediatemember. d at 10, through the intermediary of the primary member 6. Theposition of the point 10, relative to the knuckles 6 and 6, iscontrolled by the position of the rod 2" in such. a. manner that, whenthe vehicle is travelling in a straight line, the distance 6-10 is thesame as the distance 6 1O, so that the total braking-force is equallydivided between each of the knuckles 6 and 6 whereby the action: of

each'ofthesecondary members 6 will be the same.

On curves, under the influence of the rod 2', the member Z? rotatesabout the axis 8 and,

according to the direction of travel of the vehicle," the point 10 iscaused to move towards one. or other of the knuckles 6 or 6 the totalbrakingforce being then unequally distributed'uponeaoh of-the knuckles 6and 6 whereby the action of each of the secondary members is nolongerequal. The. difference is used to obtain a differential braking eifectonthewheels or groups of wheels of the vehicle,"the differential effectbeing obviously proportionalto'the angular value of the steeringmovement. 7

The Figs. 2 and 3, which represent, respectively in elevation and plan,a mechanical arrangement according to the diagrammaticview of Fig. 1,relate to a form of construction in'which eachof the secondary members eacts on a complementary balancing device,

' causing its action to{ be divided between each of the-wheels of agroup of two wheels, said devices being enclosedinthe casing 40 of thedistributin device. A a V The interme iate distributing member d islsupportedon knuckles 6 and 6 of the secondarymembers e, and divides theinitial strain communicated from the primary'memher-b between the saidsecondary members, equally when the vehicle is travelling in a straightline or differentially on curves, said member I) being mounted so as torotate about the axis-b of a hollow member 42 adapted to rotatein aplane at right angles to the said axis b as shown at .41. i The memberI)" acts on the intermediate member d while bearing against a rod 54,forming a cross bar, and centrally located within the shafts 45. Aspring 43 coiled around the trunnion 41 inside the casing 40, andbearing against the wall of the said casing, serves to separatethelprimary member, 6 from the intermediate member cl. The'division ofthe initial strain is again obtained through the inter-: mediary of themember. 2',con nected to a lever 1 44secured to the'trunnion 41 of thehollow member 42, outside the casing 40.

yThe-trunnion 41'serves at the same time for transmittingto the primarymember 5 the pull of therod c, and theangular displacements of thelever44 connected to th' steering mechanism (not shown).

This latter arrangement involves the use of a perfectlywater tightcasing and enables the external actuating mechanism to be sim- 7 Thesecondary members. '6 are pivotally mounted onthe shafts 45 andeach ofsaid members comprises ,a balancing pinion 53, adapted'to freely rotateon the spindles 24 and 25. V i l Between the shafts 45 and theextensions 49 of the casing 40 are'mounted tubular shafts 47 saidshaftsbeing adapted to rotate. The shafts 45 and 47 each of which is adaptedto actuate thebrake of one wheel, are provided at their ends withtoothed sectors 55 and 51 respectively, the toothed sectors 51 engagingone side of the balancing pinions 53, whilst the toothed sectors 55engage the other side of the said pinions.

Owingto this arangement the "action of the secondary members 6 isequally distributed between each of the shafts 45 and 47, and

' from these shafts said action may be in turn suitably distributed onthewheel brakes. Y

The operation of this device is as folows: If the brakes areapplied whenthe vehicle is travelling along a straight line, the hollow member 42moves in the casing 40 in the ,direc% tion of the-arrow 26 (Fig. 3)and'forces the primary member I) against the cross bar 54, and centrallyupon the intermediate member 62, through which the pressure is equallytransmitted to each of the secondary members e, which, in turn, transmitthis force equally to the concentric-shafts 45 and 47 each of whichactuates the brake of one of the .1."

wheels-of the controlled group;

On curves, the hollow member 42 is an'gu larly moved about the trunnion41 through the intermediary of the steering rod 2', connected to thesteering mechanism,and it ac tuates the primary member I) which, stillbearingagainst the crossbar 54, no longer acts centrally on theintermediate member (Z, whereby the force. on one of the secondarymembers 6 is increased whilst it is reduced on the other. Each of saiddifferential actions is then equally distributed between the shafts 45and 47 through the intermediary of the balancing pinions 53.

In Fig. 4 a distributing device of the braking force of the kinddescribed is diagram matically illustrated as arranged on the frame of amotor vehicle having brakes on the four wheels. I

The braking force applied to the pedal a is transmitted to theprimarymember b through the brake rod 0. l The primary member is adaptedto move relative to a shaft 110, under the control of the steeringmember 1' connected to the lever g of the steering mechanism 7. Themember I) divides the totalbraking force between the secondary memberse'and 6 The member 7, is so arranged and adjusted having rollers 114.-and 115 on which passes the string 116. This latter is connected, on oneend, to the operating lever 117 of the front-left brake and, on theother end, to the operating lever 118 of the rear-left brake, whilstthemember 6 is. provided with the same mechanical device acting in the sameway on the group of brakes situated at the right hand side of thevehicle.

The arrangement of the string 116 and rollers 11 1 and 115 serves toefiect in a pro portional manner, the automatic division of the brakingforce of thesecondary member 6, between the levers 117 and 118, thevalues of the individual braking forces in front and at the rear of thevehicle being preferably such that they correspond to the maximumgripping power of the front and rear wheels respectively.

When the vehicle is turned to the left, as already described, the totalbraking force of the group of wheels that describe the are of smallerradius is thus increased, the relative braking forces applied to each ofthe front and rear wheels remaining properly proportioned owing to thearrangement 113114 115, whilst the total braking force applied to thegroup of wheels that describe the arc of greater radius is reduced withthe same quantity. Of course, the arrangement may act in a mannerreverse to that just described.

The invention also relates to the automatic I division between thebrakes, always in proper proportion, of the braking force applied at a,and this in spite ofv differences resulting from play between or badadjustments in the interposed brake rods. However, when the play reachesan important value, it may cause a considerable angle of lag between thewheel, to take up the play by spacing apart the enclosed parts of eachbrake against the action of the operating levers 117, 118, 119 and 126,in such a manner that, by operation of the members 125, the initialpositions of the members 117, 118, 119 and 126, and consequently that ofall the members or parts of the distributing device, as well as that ofthe point of application of the braking force may be restored, by takingup the play at the point where it is produced, especially inside thebrake drums.

To render such adjustment practical, the. members 125 may for example beoperated by meansofnonreversing screws 127 disposed outide' the brakedrums. Iln this manner, immediate and accurate adjustment may be easilyeffected on a finished vehicle withouthavingto touch the enclosedmembers (steeringmembers, distributing member and pedal )1 to whichaccess is difficult.

To avoid taking. up the play produced on One of the rear wheels byacting on the adj-usting device 125 of a front wheel (whichmayoccurowing to the fact that the wheels are connected together bymeans of the brake rods, and also in view that the play may be takenupin an equal manner on each side of the vehicle, so as :to adjust anypossible angle of lag between 6 and 6 marks or the like, 130, arelocated on the fixed parts of the brake drums, or on the vehicle axles,opposite the levers117, 118,- 119 and 126, to indicate the normalpositions of the said levers.

1 Thus, when, owing to the play, the pedal a reaches the end of itstravel, it will be sulficient to operate the members 125, in such amanner that, for a given amount of tightening, the four above mentionedlevers are restored to their initial positions indicated by themarks130.

As a considerable amount of play may take place inthe brakerod,indicated marks may alsobe provided on the casing of the distributingdevice, or on any other fi xed parts, to indicate the normal positionsof the members of the said device, corresponding to the normal positionsof the levers 117 118, 119 and 126.

By the provision of the said adjusting de-. vices, it is a simple matterto restore all the members of an old vehicle in their correct positions,technically determined by the manufacturer without trial and withouterrors.

Claims:

1. In a brake arrangement comprising a main brake operating member, aprimary member connected therewith and operated thereby, two secondarybrake operating members and brake shoe operating devices connected tothe said secondary brake operating members, an intermediate member andthe primary member bearing on the intermediate member and being movablefrom end to end thereon, the intermediate member having ball and socketconnections with the ends of the secondary members, shafts mounted atthe other ends of said secondary members, stationary journals, tubularshafts in which said between the corresponding shafts andtubular'shafts.r p p 2. In a brake arrangement comprising a I main brake operatingmember, a primary member connected therewith and operated thereby, twosecondary brake operating members and brake shoe operating devicesconnected to the said secondary brake operating members, an intermediatemember,'the primary member pivotally mounted into a hol- 7 low membertiltable about a stationary axis, a stationary support, said primarymember bearing at one end against said stationary support whilst itsother end is adapted to be moved longitudinally relative to and ltromend to end of the intermediate member whilst bearing thereon, means tovary the pressure.

of the primary member on the intermediate member and meansto oscillatethe hollow justed.

member about its pivotal connection.

' 3. A brake device arrangement comprising a main brake operatingmember, a primary member connected therewith and operated thereby, twosecondary brake'operating members and brake shoe operating devicesconnected to the said secondary brake operating members, the primarymember acting on the secondary members'through the lever arms of anintermediate member and being movable from end to end relative to saidintermediate 7 member, means controlled by the steering mechanism andadapted tomodify the values of either of the said lever arms when thefront wheels are deflected and marks enabling the normal positions ofeach of the primary, intermediate, secondary members and brake shoeactuating'devices to be accurately ad- -LOUIS ROZUANET.

